Today makes it official, friends. I am so excited to greet the season with accents and accessories, tastes and scents that welcome fall home.
One would not know today is the first day of fall by the current weather in the Deep South.
Hot and humid with temperatures rising lands us in full-on fallsummoween.
High heat and humidity zaps the feel of fall, but apples paired with pears, cloves, and cinnamon offers the taste of fall refreshment.
Fall Fruit Facts:
Did you know there are 7500 varieties of apples grown throughout the world with 1oo varieties grown commercially here in the United States.
Cinnamon (also called quills) is the perfect spice compliment to sweet and salty drinks and dishes.
Pears are members of the rose family (no, not the Rose family of Schitt’s Creek fame). Origins of the pear date back to 1000 B.C.
Autumn Apple Pear Cinnamon Water
Ingredients
6 cups water
2 Gala apples cut into thin slices
1 Granny Smith apple cut into thin slices
1 pear (I used Bartlett) cut into thin slices
2 cinnamon sticks
3 whole cloves
Directions
Fill pitcher with water. Add apple and pear slices, cinnamon sticks and whole cloves. Give a quick stir to mix; cover and refrigerate overnight to allow flavors to blend.
Why stop there?
Crisp mornings, afternoons, and evenings go splendidly with a warm beverage or warming cocktail.
Simple syrup or spiced concentrate added to your favorite fall hot or cold beverages amplifies the spice which in turn brings out the flavors so closely associated with fall.
Vanilla Simple Syrup
Ingredients
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup water
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Directions
In a small saucepan over medium heat bring all ingredients to a soft boil; cooking until sugar dissolves making sure to stir the entire time.
Remove from heat and allow to completely cool. Transfer syrup to a heat safe jar or container and store in refrigerator.
Autumn Spiced Concentrate
Ingredients
2 cups water
3 cinnamon sticks
3 whole cloves
Directions
In a medium saucepan bring water, cinnamon sticks, and whole cloves to a to a boil. Reduce heat and allow to simmer for 5 minutes.
Your house will smell amazing during this part of the process!
Remove from heat and allow concentrate to cool before transferring to a heat safe jar or container. Store in the refrigerator.
Seasonal touches here and neutrals there decorate the dining room.
Faux stems and bushes usually don’t tickle my fall decorating fancy, but this Japanese Maple bush from JOANN is absolutely lovely.
Never underestimate the visual impact of the simple yet elegant seasonal décor accessory.
DIY wreath project success means I like the way it turned out and find it too pretty to hang on the front door just yet, so it calls the foyer welcome fall home for now.
Don’t you love when an item you’re sure will work does just that.
Our welcome fall home 2022 wishlist is almost complete.
Vintage or in the style of vintage prints never fail to catch my eye.
Tennessee has really been on my mind and heart of late.
I purchased my first Anton Pieck print from an antiques shop in East Tennessee thirteen years ago, and last week I purchased this vintage Anton Pieck 3D Paper Art print of “The Ship” to add to the collection.
Hunting dog prints hung throughout my grandparent’s house, and the vintage porcelain figurine immediately took me back so in the cart it went.
Befitting St. Patrick’s Day, today’s post shines the spotlight on decorating in shades of green.
Decorating in shades of green associates a natural beauty with a tangible balance that easily flows from space to space and shade to shade, complementing the core elements of design and décor.
History proves blue the color originally associated with St. Patrick’s Day under the reign of Henry the VIII who claimed Ireland a kingdom in 1542.
With the formal creation of a new Kingdom, Ireland was appointed a coat of arms in the design of golden harp on a blue background.
It wasn’t until years later as a result of the Irish Rebellion in 1798 that green officially took notability as the color associated with St. Patrick’s Day.
“What color should be seen Where our fathers’ homes have been But their own immortal Green?”
Emerald green, a brilliant blue-green color, dates back in popularity to the mid-1800s.
Inexpensive to manufacture and therefore cheap to purchase, emerald green was a popular choice of household paint, and was widely used for patterned wallpaper.
Damp spaces promoted the mold living in the wallpaper paste together with the arsenic to turn into a gas, creating a toxic environment.
It is believed Napoleon’s death in exile on St. Helena quite possibly was accelerated by his exposure to the Emerald green wallpaper decorating his favorite room.
Some perceive the color connection between St. Patrick’s Day and the color green to the lush landscape of the Emerald Isle.
“A color is as strong as the impression it creates.”
—Ivan Albright
House & Garden – Photography Robert O’Byrne
I reached out to The Irish Aesthete, Robert O’Byrne, to ask his permission to use his photo of the marquetry floors in the grand salon at Ballyfin.
He could not have been more gracious, and his knowledge of Ireland coupled with his visually stunning book, The Irish Aesthete: Ruins of Ireland by Robert O’Byrne, is quite impressive.
May the sun shine all day long everything go right and nothing wrong. May those you love bring love back to you, and may all the wishes you wish come true.
Guests and ghouls alike will gasp with delight at these festive Halloween decorating ideas not too tame, not too terrifying.
It’s not too early to begin gathering festive Halloween decorating ideas and devilishly delightful goodies for your Halloween decorating extravaganza.
Bewitching decorative treasures festively bedeck your Halloween haunt for a day into night soiree of visual tricks and tasty treats.
Light the night and set a mood of stylish intrigue by illuminating your fright night soiree with distinctive lighting options.
Many moons ago I tricked out our kitchen and breakfast room in grand Halloween splendor.
Black tulle, white taper candles, Spanish moss, a vintage candelabra, glass cloche, a decorative black crow, and magnolia leaves spray painted black dressed the night in fright and fun.
Party possibilities range from pumpkin luminaries using clear glass cylinder vases to clear cylinder vases filled with moss, mini pumpkins and creepy plastic creatures thrown in for decoratively dreadful measure.
You local dollar store is an excellent starting point for party needs or party decoration fillers.
Did you hear the recent news of a popular dollar store raising their prices from $1.00 per item to $1.25 – $1.50 to offset rising production/shipping costs?
Now I guess we’ll call these party decor go-to stores dollarish stores.
Regardless, if you’re anything like me you favor festive Halloween decorating ideas like the following that remain big on festive Halloween decorating ideas fun, not big on festive Halloween decorating ideas prices.
Candles.
Natural moss mix.
Glass cylinder vases.
Faux flowers in dark and boo-tiful colors.
All of the above make delightful and frightful additions to captivating centerpieces.
Centerpiece ideas include classic orange and black Halloween decorating accouterments, fresh or faux festive flowers, and creepy and crawly spiders and snakes in hauntingly beautiful form with a hint of chilling chic compliments of a can or two of spray paint in your favorite color(s).
The top hat tips its hat to decoration triple duty.
Primp it out for Halloween, tidy it up with a gold band and pheasant feathers for the perfect Pilgrim piece at Thanksgiving, and top it off with glitter stems at Christmas as a tree topper.
Fun idea found on Pinterest.
It reminds me of my dress painting adorning the dining room sideboard that I’ll drape sheer white lace over and backlight for a white wedding theme.
Oh, and the eyes on you throw pillows will work into the night perfectly.
The call to edit and decorate with items you already have is coming from inside the house.
Create a little tone on tone visual magic with a can or two of spray paint in your Halloween color of choice.
Begin with a grapevine or straw wreath.
Hunt and gather a harvest of dry leaves, stems, twigs, vines, and branches from nature’s arts-and-crafts-store (your yard).
Spray paint both sides of the crop and allow to completely dry.
Snake and intertwine your painted gathering work of decorating art down the center of the table in table runner fashion.
Painted wreaths become everything from a cake stand base to a candle ring.
Scary chic, super affordable befitting centerpiece and table runner problem solved.
Pair a grapevine bird nest from the craft department with a black feathered crow found in the Halloween section for a spook-takular candy dish alternative.
A cast iron cauldron pot fits right in with the trick and treat taste of Halloween.
Serving ideas for party potions of the leaded and unleaded varieties include a bewitching large black cauldron, copper ladle, DIY beverage dispenser, punch bowl made from a pumpkin, and of course, dry ice to create a special effect foggy look.
In a medium sized saucepan, simmer cider, orange juice, cinnamon and cloves for 5 minutes. Whisk in pumpkin puree until combined with other flavor and a smooth consistency is reached.
Treasures found, ordered, and delivered today make me Halloween happy.
When Halloween party hosting for twenty or less guests, and with Dave the Builder sharing KP duties, I go with “real” plates, utensils, glassware, etc…
Super scary-cute-sweet Halloween theme plastic and paper tableware options are everywhere this time of year, and make an impressive showing and an easy clean-up undertaking.
Rubber rats straight out of the Halloween decorations aisle placed on a black cheese board create a deliciously eerie display most Halloween appropriate.
Natural beauty pumpkins are simple to make and simply elegant when completed.
Simply heat up the old glue gun (caution, it’s hot!) and hot glue lush leaves to the pumpkin.
I hope one or more of these tasty and festive Halloween decorating ideas tricks and treats your Halloween soiree spook-takular.
Today’s Fetching Friday shines the spotlight on pretty sights all in a scroll. I find a visual respite from the unpleasant beautifully works to clear out the cobwebs and reset mind and soul.
In person return to campus activities are a go for now, and with that comes one of the best parts of the back to campus process- the decorating of the dorm room with decor pieces from the annual Places In The Home dorm room decor ideas show and tell.
Taking a basic dorm room and putting your personal style stamp on it creates a home away from home cozy, comfy, and stylish haven to call your own.
The objective is to introduce the creature comforts you find you relate to in a positive, cozy, and comfortable manner.
Decorate your dorm room, townhouse, condo, or apartment with aesthetically pleasing accents and accessories in tune with your taste and personal style.
Flashback to 1980 and my dorm room digs.
This flashback to 1980 photo of my dorm room digs is not the best quality, but it gives a general idea of the on-trend decor accents, colors, texture, and patterns of the day.
I forgot how much I loved the dark green ginger jar that was a gift with a purchase of Jungle Gardenia cologne, not to mention the plastic bamboo and rattan lamp in bright yellow.
Let’s begin this dorm room decor ideas show and tell with accents and accessories in stylish color, texture, pattern and affordable fashion thoughtfully chosen to assist in elevating your dorm room digs to the wow! this is gorgeous level.
Plush, glam and leopard love dorm accessories in shades of pink, gold and winter white trend to be favorites among the back to campus crowd.
Anker PowerCore+ 26800mAh 3-port Quick Charge 3.0 Power Bank
Super chic in a 70s vibe kind of way, the vintage inspired Elise Vanity and Stool Set of caged rattan is a custom made piece for college into postgraduate style days.
Featuring dual cast-aluminum tamper-resistant grounded 3-prong sockets, along with white stainless-steel housing and cover that are powder coated for durability and reduced emissions, the Extō Extension Cord includes a 6 foot 16-gauge cotton-covered industrial power cord impervious to oil and water, rated to 1,560 watts.
Non-slip, non-marking polyurethane feet keep the Extō extension cord firmly in place on a desk, table or countertop, while 4 holes on the underside allow mounting to almost any surface.
As far as adding a touch of spring flair and fragrance goes, decorating with flowers is by far one of the loveliest, easiest, and visually delightful ways to bring the very best of the garden to the spring and summer decorating scheme.
Interior designer and tastemaker Charlotte Moss newest book, Charlotte Moss Flowers, is a delightful grab a cup or glass of tea-curl up with a good book guide to bringing in-full bloom beauty to house and home.
“There are always flowers for those who want to see them.”
—Henri Matisse
Wedgwood Blue Jasperware
With the garden as her muse, Charlotte Moss celebrates the season of fresh and fragrant through inspired ideas for floral arrangements, tablescapes, and containers ideal for every-day living picture perfect placement around the house.
Classic blue and white in two lovely presentations.
I get completely caught up movie set interiors and location choices, so much so I go from writing to capturing scenes for my photo portfolio courtesy of Windows PrtScn.
Of particular design and decorative accents visual interest is the breakfast scene from the movie Giant.
Chippendale, crystal, porcelain, and silver frame the scene, but the bowl of fresh gardenias steal the show.
Gardenias in a bowl will forever be a simple yet elegant decorating with flowers showstopper.
The color connection between the St. Patrick’s Day and the color green dates back to the 17th c to what some perceive as an association to the lush landscape of the Emerald Isle.
Decorating with the color green is a proven in-house formula for amplifying the beauty and patina of the woods and finishes detailed in antique pieces.
Creating cozy yet elegant spaces isn’t as difficult as one may think.
Believe it or not, antiques pieces are the answer when the goal is to create a warm, rich, and yes, cozy aesthetic.
I love this “in my own little corner in my own little chair” space within a space in beautiful design and decorating with the color green accents detail by Ashley Montgomery Design.
Excitement greets a new year, and today’s decor trends 2021 show and tell highlights exciting style predictions coming your way.
As for my personal formula of predicting interior design and decorating trends, I take into account various predictions from knowledgeable insiders, do a quick retrospect of the previous year’s hit and misses, factor in personal taste, and suggest accordingly.
My personal advice regarding first of the year trends is to tread lightly into the what’s trending pool in order to eliminate decorating regret.
Good taste, judgment, and an impeccable sense of personal style will guide your decor trends 2021 choices.
Face Line Art
Home decor accessories and accents brimming with visual appeal prominently work the room to introduce two key elements in decorating- contrast and character.
Face line art pieces emulate drawings in the style of Picasso and Matisse, representing broadened interpretations and color choices.
Being a fan of the mix and mingle aspect of decor styles, I love introducing a piece of face line art in all its fun and funky glory into a traditional or formal aesthetic.
If total color immersion, dark blue or any other color, does not appeal to your color scheme and style, consider using the color on a standout feature such as a kitchen island.
Lighting is relevant to the feel you want the space to convey, and statement lighting flips the style switch to focal point fabulous in both the on and off position.
Copper cookware and decorative accents remain an elegant element and traditional choice of material to complement taste, space, and of course to compliment the chef.
It’s hot at present, and I must admit I owned and wish I still had both the aforementioned mushroom footstool and mushroom lamp that adorned my condo circa 1982.
Everything old is new again at one time or another.
Wallpaper
Timeless designs, on-trend textures and patterns, and colors divine make wallpaper a classic choice of product for a quality result in interior decorating.
This last decor trend is one that stands the test of time.
Personal Style
The consummate design aesthetic.
Finding normal footing in this very young yet promising new year proves an excellent motivator, and when motivation comes together with inspiring decor trends 2021 it’s a decorista’s dream come true.
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